Stay Together For The Kids
by The Create Card
Summary: A look at the days leading up to Matt's parents' divorce as Matt is forced to endure not only his parents' fighting, but later on...his little brother being taken away from him as well. A special one-shot angsty songfic, dedicated to a friend.


Author's Note: This particular little one-shot doesn't go into my Digimon timeline, but this IS something I wanted to do. After seeing some of my friends endure the terrible ordeals of divorce (one of whom is living with divorced parents herself), I wanted to get this angsty little story out there. I want to dedicate this to my friend and anyone else out there who is dealing with divorce.

  


Summary: Young Matt Ishida is trying to live a normal childhood just like any other boy his age. But as time goes by, he can't help but notice his parents argue all the time. And things only worsen as time goes on. Then one day…Matt's life changes forever. A special songfic done to Blink 182's "Stay Together For The Kids". (Has it been done before? I hope not. v-_-)

  


**Stay Together For The Kids**

  


The bell rang signaling the end of another school day in Odaiba. And eight-year-old Matt Ishida didn't waste any time getting his things and heading out. It wasn't that he disliked school (even though that may have very well been true), but Matt wanted to run home and try something out. He opened up his backpack and took out something one of his friends gave to him.

"Hmm…a harmonica. I wonder if I'll ever be any good at it?"

Feeling intrigued, Matt raised the tiny instrument to his lips and blew, creating a long monotone C-sharp. He almost surprised himself. It actually didn't sound half bad.

Matt kept blowing on his harmonica, having fun with it as he made his way home. After a longer walk than usual, Matt made it to his front yard, where he saw a curious four-year-old boy trying to play with a basketball…and not faring very well.

Matt shook his head. "TK, are you trying to play basketball again?"

Little Takeru Ishida, whom Matt always called TK, just held the basketball as he faced his older brother. "I saw it on TV, Matt! I wanna be just like them!"

Matt chuckled. "You're a little too short. Stick to something where you at least stand a chance."

Matt had been trying to convince his younger brother to take up soccer, just like a lot of people at his school did. But TK insisted on taking an interest in basketball, which still brought a chuckle to Matt. TK would never be tall enough for basketball.

It looked like TK would be occupied for a while, so Matt headed into the house to get a start on practicing with his new harmonica. But when he walked in, he noticed that all the lights were out. And he was just in time to find an all too familiar scene.

_It's hard to wake up_

When the shades have been pulled shut

This house is haunted

It's so pathetic

It makes no sense at all

Matt ducked behind the couch just in time to witness his two parents getting in yet another argument.

"Where were you last night?! You were supposed to take my sister to the airport!!"

"I had to work overtime! You know how it is over there!"

"You worked overtime AGAIN?! That's the third time this week!! I feel like I haven't seen you around at all!! It feels like your job is more important to you than your own family!!"

"How dare you say that!! The only reason I'm working so much is to support the kids and support YOU!! You don't even appreciate what I do!! I've never heard a single 'thank you'!! All you've done is ride me every chance you get!! GET OFF MY BACK!!"

Matt cringed. He was used to his parents fighting, but things were starting to get worse. He crawled to his room, hoping he wouldn't be seen.

Yeah, Matt was used to seeing his parents fight. But it didn't mean he liked it. He wished they would stop.

_I'm ripe with things to say_

The words rot and fall away

A stupid poem could fix this home,

I'd read it everyday

Two weeks later, Matt was walking home again. And just like everyday in those past few weeks, Matt was solemnly blowing on his harmonica. Part of it was because he wanted to hone his musical skills, but another part of it was because blowing on his harmonica was quickly becoming a good way to vent his frustration.

Today, though, something was different. Before Matt even made it home, a little boy came running up to him. It was little TK, who had tears in his eyes. He looked like he was scared to death.

"TK? What's wrong?"

TK looked up with the tears flowing freely. "Matt…it's Mom and Dad! They're fighting!"

A part of Matt wanted to relay a sarcastic quip. So his parents were fighting again. It was nothing new to him. Then again, they always tried to keep their arguments from being seen by TK. If they didn't even care if TK saw them fighting…then this must have been serious.

Matt looked down to see his frightened little brother. He had an impressionable mind and Matt didn't want him to worry about anything. This was probably just another fight. So he just decided to put his brother at ease.

"TK…they aren't fighting. They're just…rehearsing a play."

Matt couldn't help but feel stupid. He had seen that explanation used on TV and it sounded dumb there too. But he didn't know what else he could tell TK. Besides, the little four-year-old looked to be buying it hook, line, and sinker.

"Oh…a play? Wow! They're really good actors! It looked so real!"

Matt tousled TK's blond hair. "Don't worry about it. They practice it a lot…especially lately. Look…why don't we go back home and you can play in the front yard. I'll…talk to Mom and Dad."

"But what if they're still rehearsing?" TK asked.

Matt sighed deeply. "That's a chance I'm willing to take."

He knew he had to confront this problem eventually. And eight-year-old Matt Ishida was ready to confront his bickering parents NOW.

_So here's your holiday_

Hope you…

Enjoy it this time

You gave it all away

It was mine

So when you're dead and gone

Will you…

Remember this night

Twenty years now lost

It's not right

Once they got back, Matt left TK in the front yard and walked towards the front door. He put a hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath. This wouldn't be easy, but Matt would have to express how HE felt.

So he sucked it up and opened the front door. Already he could hear yelling, mostly from his mother. And when Matt saw his parents in the kitchen…

…the fight had become more intense than he could have ever imagined.

_The anger hurts my ears_

Been running strong for seven years

Rather than fix the problem,

They never solve them,

It makes no sense at all

Matt looked on in shock as his parents were practically yelling at the top of their lungs.

"You're NEVER around anymore!! How are you just going to stand there and just tell me you have to go away for a week?!"

"I HAVE to go!! I have to go on business!! Why don't you understand that?!"

"You worked overtime five days last week!! And now you're going to be away for a whole week?! When ARE you going to be around?! When is TK going to get to know his father?!"

"Don't bring TK into this!!"

"Why not?! With all the time you've been away, I'm surprised you even know we HAVE a second child!! Do you even know how old he is?!"

"I said don't bring him into this!! You know the only one upset about this is YOU!!"

"And why shouldn't I be upset?! I feel like I don't even have a husband anymore!! I feel like you don't even love me anymore!!"

"How could you even say that?! Do you know how hard I've worked for you?! Do you know how many headaches I've had trying to support this family?! Do you know how many sleepless nights I've had?! Do you know how many bad nights I've had?! Of course, NONE of them are as bad as the night I decided to marry YOU!!"

Nancy Ishida gasped and did something that Matt never thought she'd do. Matt's mom slapped his dad hard across the face. She reached over for a glass and chucked it at his head. He ducked the flying glass and it shattered against the wall.

"GET OUT!!"

"You can't kick me out!! It's MY HOUSE!! You can't kick me out of my own house!!"

Matt's mom reached for another glass. "GET OUT!!"

Knowing what was coming, Matt ran to his room. He couldn't believe what was happening. The fighting had escalated…to a level Matt had hoped it would never reach.

_I see them everyday_

We get along so why can't they?

If this is what he wants,

And this is what she wants,

Then why's there so much pain?

There was no school the next day. Matt stayed home and, surprisingly, so did his dad. But everything was quiet. After the horrible fight from the day before, things had calmed down. The day was halfway over and Matt had spent the whole time practicing with his harmonica.

But that's when something happened.

"Matt? Could you come in here?"

The sound of his mother's voice got Matt's attention. As he walked to the living room, he stopped to peek in his little brother's room. TK was sleeping peacefully, which brought a sense of relief to Matt. At least he didn't have to know what was happening.

Matt finally got to the living room, where his parents were sitting on opposite ends of the couch. Matt sat in between them. There was an eerie silence and Matt was feeling uneasy.

"Matt…your mother and I have come to a decision. We've decided……to get a divorce."

Matt's jaw dropped open. "W-What?"

"Your father and I just…can't live our lives like this anymore. We feel it's best if we just get a divorce."

Matt was scared silent. He didn't know how to react to this. His parents had fought for a long time, but divorce had never entered his mind as a possibility. But here it was. His parents were telling him…that they were about to end their marriage.

Finally, Matt said something, which was barely more than a whisper. "What about me? What about TK? Don't you love us?"

"It's not that we don't love you. We love you both very much. It's just that…your mother and I don't love each other."

"But…what'll happen to us?" Matt asked.

Matt's mother got to her feet. "I…found a new home…in Kawada. I'm moving away…and I'm taking TK with me."

Matt gasped. "NO! You can't take TK!"

"Matt, please…"

"NO! He's my brother! You can't take him away from me! Why can't you stay here?"

"Matt, it's too late. I already have the apartment. I'm sorry, but you have to stay with your father and TK is staying with me."

Matt was in tears now. "NO! It's not fair! You never even bothered to ask us how WE felt! We're supposed to be a family! And now you're doing something that'll change both our lives and you never asked us!! You're just going to separate us and you don't even care!! I HATE YOU!!"

Matt didn't even want to hear anymore. He turned around and headed right back for his room and slammed the door behind him. He ran to bury his face in his pillow. But mere seconds later, someone knocked on his door.

"GO AWAY!!"

"Matt?"

Matt lifted his head from his pillow and opened the door. It was TK.

"I heard you yelling, Matt. What's the matter?"

Matt immediately embraced TK in a strong hug, one which he didn't want to let go…knowing what was about to happen. It felt like it would be the last time he'd get to hug his brother…for a very long time.

_So here's your holiday_

Hope you…

Enjoy it this time

You gave it all away

It was mine

So when you're dead and gone

Will you…

Remember this night

Twenty years now gone

It's not right

It felt like an eternity, but the day was here. It was the day that Matt dreaded. He looked across to see his mother and his little brother. Already he could feel it. They were all separate. They were no longer one family united. Now they were a severed unit; one that could never be reunited.

Matt saw the sad look on TK's face. TK didn't want to leave his brother and father. But he had no say in the matter. It wasn't up to him. It wasn't up to Matt. It was a decision made by their parents. Matt knew it was a decision made by their SELFISH parents.

_So here's your holiday_

Hope you…

Enjoy it this time

You gave it all away

It was mine

So when you're dead and gone

Will you…

Remember this night

Twenty years now gone

It's not right

Now when Matt looked across, he just saw a scared, confused little four-year-old boy. And he saw someone he would never get to comfort, play with, tease, or love again. They didn't even share names anymore. Now his little brother was just…TK Takaishi. And he looked over at his mother…who was taking TK away from him.

_It's not right_

Matt's parents exchanged their bitter goodbyes and they started walking away in opposite directions…each dragging their respective child away by the hand. Matt turned around to look at TK one last time. TK also looked back to see his big brother. And Matt looked up at his mother, who wasn't even looking back.

_It's not RIGHT_

There was only one thought going through Matt's mind as his mother walked away. He would never forgive her for taking his brother away from him.

_It's not right_

As he looked at his mother walking away, Matt only mouthed silently…

"I…hate…you."

  


**THE END**

  


Author's Note: This was my little interpretation on the Ishida/Takaishi divorce. I don't think we were EVER told why Matt and TK's parents divorced. (Of course, I could be wrong) More than anything, I wanted to express that Matt and TK shared a brotherly bond and I hope this story expressed that.

  


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below!


End file.
